The Sindh government with the assistance of Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) has announced to revive Karachi Circular Railways (KCR). The project of KCR revival will enter into implementation phase during FY 2013-14, chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah said while unveiling the budget 2013-2014.
He said that KCR will have a dual track of 41.12 km with 24 stations at an average distance of 1.5 km. The estimated cost of the project is $2.6 billion dollars. "The negotiations with JICA are almost finalised and we are at the stage of signing loan agreement," he added.
Hs said that S-III is one of the major projects for Karachi having a cost of Rs 7.982 billion out of which federal government has to contribute Rs 3.991 billion. So far federal government has released Rs 789million for this project and government of Sindh has contributed Rs 800 million. In addition, Rs 1.040 billion has been allocated in the ADP of 2013-14 for the project. The treated sewerage disposal through this project will have immense environmental and health-related benefits, he informed.
Another mega project K-IV has been approved by ECNEC at a cost of Rs 25.552 billion with 50 percent share of government of Sindh. Rs 1 billion has been allocated for this project in ADP-2013-14. Through this project 260 MGD additional water will be supplied to the residents of Karachi. This will be a major project in meeting the ever-growing requirements of water for Karachi, he mentioned.